Updated: 8/24/2020, 12 p.m.
Where we stand
The Hawaii Department of Health reported 2 deaths and 169 new COVID-19 cases today. That brings the state's total to 6,600 cases. Total deaths now number 49. Of the new cases, 150 are on Oahu, 10 in Maui County, and 9 on Hawaii Island.
The Institute for Human Services on Saturday confirmed the death from COVID-19 of one of its workers, 36-year-old Willie Talamoa.
IHS recently converted its Sumner Street men's shelter into a temporary quarantine center after a cluster of about 20 cases developed at the location.
IHS Executive Director Connie Mitchell said it is not clear how Talamoa may have contracted the virus. Any IHS clients or employees who have tested positive or may have been exposed to the virus remain in quarantine, she said.
As part of IHS protocols, staff are provided PPE when entering any spaces that may put them at risk for COVID-19.
Public schools, UH begin distance learning
Hawaii's public schools and the University of Hawaii begin largely online learning today for the new school year, all under the shadow of surging COVID-19 cases. Both educational systems have been impacted by the pandemic, with the state Department of Education and the university reporting covornavirus cases in recent days and acknowledging the experience for students will be vastly different.
The Department of Education also reports that many students may be without needed equipment and WiFi connections to begin online instruction that runs until at least Sept. 11.
Without that readiness, students -- especially those deemed the most vulnerable -- may fall behind as the weeks roll on.
According to the Associated Press, Hawaii is among the larger school districts in the country that are awaiting orders on laptops and other equipment, including for hotspots. It isn't immediately clear why the purchases weren't made earlier, but high demand nationwide and supply chain issues have slowed delivery of the needed equipment.
Some teachers, such as those in special education, have been directed to provide in-person instruction. The Hawaii State Teachers Association has filed a complaint with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board against the state, arguing that face-to-face teaching is unsafe. The teachers union maintains the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases and changes in instruction plans should require a return to contract bargaining.
In its latest report on positive COVID-19 cases covering Aug. 15-21, DOE said there were 14 infections involving 9 staff, 4 students and 1 parent. The DOE is reporting these cases by complex areas, not individual schools, citing privacy issues.
At the university, most instruction will be conducted online, with exceptions made for certain lab, arts and other courses.
"I know that this may not be the college experience that you imagined but we are with you every step of the way as we take on this challenge," Manoa Provost Michael Bruno told students in a video welcome.
Campuses are only open to students and employees, although trash pickup, deliveries and other necessary business will continue. Anyone who plans to be on campuses must wear a face mask, socially distance and have a daily screening for symptoms using an app called LumiSight.
While enrollment is down 1.8 percent, it is not as dire as the UH had feared, President David Lassner told the university regents last week. Manoa enrollment is up 2 percent and West Oahu increased 1.4 percent, with other campuses down by varying percentages.
There have been 11 COVID-19 cases at UH campuses since April, the latest being two announced yesterday. The two worked in the same building on the Manoa campus but on different floors. The university did not disclose the name of the building. The cases are not considered related.
The state Department of Health has been notified and those in close contact with the infected individuals are being tested and monitored while in self-quarantine. They will need to be cleared by the health department before they can return to campus, the university said. Meanwhile, the areas involved are being cleaned and disinfected.
Hawaii vaping rates continue to rank high in the country
Youth vaping rates in Hawaii continues to be among the highest in the country, with nearly one in three high school students using e-cigarettes. That’s according to the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control looking at youth vaping.
Nearly half of Hawaii high school students and 30 percent of middle school students say they have tried e-cigarettes. Almost a third of high schoolers report they actively vape.
Pedro Haro, executive director of the American Lung Association in Hawaii, says the report shows vaping rates in the country have skyrocketed in the last two years, including in the islands.
"To put it in context, the last time this report was released – in 2018 – it showed that maybe about one in four high school students were current e-cigarette users," he said. "Now we’re seeing that it’s almost one in three.
"This is really staggering because not only are we seeing this vaping epidemic, but we’re in the middle of a lung epidemic where we know that those who have compromised immune systems, compromised lungs, can face the most dangerous side effects of COVID."
Haro says the vaping rate for Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Hispanic students is even higher, with nearly 40 percent of participants saying they are actively using e-cigarettes.
--HPR's Casey Harlow
This is a developing story. Please check back for upates. Editor's note: We’d like to hear how you’re coping with the latest COVID-19 developments and the state's phased reopening. You can call our talkback line at 808-792-8217. Or e-mail us at talkback@hawaiipublicradio.org.
